The Oracle
In 1392, a mysterious figure known as the Oracle appeared in Beldin and began attracting followers amongst the (as some would have it) more frivolous citizens of Beldin. He claimed to have great powers, granted to him by his mysterious masters. The Oracle first became a matter of concern when he appeared at Astrid and tried to convince the Knights to obtain certain statues for him. Nictaska agreed to go in search for the statues. These statues, of which there are eight, were originally found in the Lair of Aphrailax. They were removed by Beldin agents, and sold at auction by command of the King. The idea was to avoid the curse supposedly attached to everything taken from the hoard for one's own use by selling it all off and using the money for charity. Most of them were purchased by noble families of Beldin. So they were effectively scattered through the valley. The first statue (later identified as an image of the demon queen Lynkhab) located was one which belonged to the Goldthrones. Nictaska, Igrat, and company burst into the Merchant's Guild, and appropriated it for study. Naturally the Goldthrones objected to the proceedings, and petitioned the King to make the Leveys, or at least the Mages' Guild, return the statue. But Igrat had become strangely attached to the statue, and refused the hand it over. After many meetings and attempts on the part of the other knights to appease (or further anger) the Goldthrones, the Lynkhab statue ended up back in the Goldthrones' posession. Meanwhile, it came to light that the Volous ladies had their own statue, and had developed their own little cult around it. They insisted that it aided them in their beauty rituals. The Oracle was an honored guest at their gatherings. One of their apparently frivolous meetings was rudely broken up by cultists, probably associated with the Scarlet Cast, who proceeded to murder the Oracle and make off with the statue. A few adventurers, including Gavin Ferret, went to investigate the matter. They did not turn up anything. Soon after, the Nightshades and the Goldthrones suffered similar thefts. The adventurers were made aware of the Scarlet Cast's designs on the Lynkhab statue, but their attempt to keep it safe failed due to the treachery of the elf Padrier. Naturally the Goldthrones became enraged once again at the adventurers whom they suspected of planning the entire thing. The Nightshades, however, had the presence of mind to scry for their missing statue, and were able to direct the adventurers to its location in the sewers. There the party came upon several members of the scarlet cast painfully dragging it to their hideout. The cast members were imprisoned, and the statue was secured. Through similar tips, three other statues were eventually recovered. They were all stored in Astrid for study, where they remain to this day. The Oracle was mysteriously raised from the dead by his masters--or so he claimed, there was some doubt as to whether he had died at all--but his newly aquired life was short. He was hacked unceremoniously down by the adventurers in Kretan's Krawl. Life in Beldin returned to normal with the death of the Oracle, though there were some who kept expecting him to make a miraculous reappearance as he had the time he was killed by the Cast. Among the followers of the Oracle there burned a certain sullen hatred for those who had taken away their miracle worker and his amazing statues. There were a few agitators who worked on this hatred, but it was nothing of life-threatening concern for the knights of Astrid. Seven statues were 'recovered' by the knights of Astrid, those of the demon lords: Lascer, Lynkhab, Anarazel, Malcanthet, Rhyxali, Mastiphal, and Alzrius. After careful study by the mages' guild, they were put someplace safe, and did nothing more.